


Family Man

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Series: Living In A Country Song [10]
Category: Hanson (Band), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Babies, Cold, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Fluff, Married Couple, Married Life, Medicine, Older Man/Younger Woman, Parent Daryl, Sick Character, Timestamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 18:51:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7475838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avery is sick so Daryl has to do a night time feeding for Hunter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Man

**Author's Note:**

> For the 100 ways to say it prompt: “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.”

July 9, 2013

Daryl who was lying beside Avery in bed, made a face as he listened to her cough from beside him and it was probably the fifth time tonight she had woken up coughing.

"Are you okay?" Daryl finally asked as he opened his eyes to look at her, seeing her sitting up in bed much like she had been doing all night.

Avery nodded her head softly as she looked down at Daryl, "Fine," she muttered out before another coughing spell hit. "Just losing a lung but it's fine," she said as she shrugged. "Got whatever germs Taylor's kids had during the camping trip and I'm just fine and dandy."

Cracking a smile as Avery went on a rant, Daryl sat up in bed beside her, "You should really go to the doctor tomorrow," he told her as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I can take off from work to watch Hunter," he suggested knowing Zac probably wouldn't mind if he took a day off from the garage especially if he knew Avery was sick.

"I hate doctors," Avery said at Daryl's suggestion as she coughed again. "And I don't want to be an inconvenience to you and make you miss work because you have to babysit our son."

"I wouldn't be babysitting my own child," Daryl argued as he shook his head. "And I hate doctors too but I still go."

Avery seemed to go silent at that and Daryl eyed her, knowing she was probably debating the situation in her head. Trying to be stubborn but hopefully her rational side won out like it always did. Mainly because he liked it when she was rational. It helped balance him because he was always the stubborn one usually.

"I'll consider it," Avery finally spoke as she gave Daryl a tiny smile but before Daryl could reply to her a cry sounded out from Hunter's nursery and Avery moved slightly, starting to go and get their son.

Daryl reached out for Avery's wrist before she could get too far away from the bed and when she turned to look at him he just shook his head. "I'll get him," he told her knowing she was probably too tired to get him and if she was sick she really needed to stay away from him as much as possible anyway.

"He probably needs to be fed," Avery said as she kept looking at Daryl. "There is one bottle of breast milk still in the fridge. I was going to wake up in two hours and pump some more," she continued as a blush crossed her cheek which made Daryl want to laugh.

He knew she was only blushing because in the six months since Hunter's birth they had never really had in depth conversations on her breast feeding habits. It was just something she did and they never discussed it, though maybe they should have.

Nodding his head Daryl stood from the bed, watching as Avery got back in and the moment he was satisfied that she wouldn't change her mind and decide to get Hunter anyway, he left the room. Heading down the hall and eventually into the nursery where he turned on the light before walking to Hunter's crib.

"Hey there little man," Daryl smiled softly as he reached down to pick up Hunter, a move that seemed to quiet the baby only briefly. "You hungry? Is that your problem right now?" he asked before leaving a kiss on Hunter's forehead as he held him firmly to his hip. "Let's go get your bottle," he spoke before turning to leave the nursery.

Once back in the hallway he walked into the living room quickly before heading into the kitchen and to the fridge. Opening the fridge he couldn't help the smirk as he found the bottle that Avery had told him about and he took it out before heading back into the living room where he sat on the couch and adjusted Hunter in his arms, getting him ready to take the bottle.

After he felt like Hunter was situated just right, Daryl put the bottle to his lips, watching as the baby latched on and all signs of crying ceased as he ate almost looking a bit content.

It was as he watched his son that Daryl too felt content and he half wondered why he never really did feed Hunter more. He had done his fair share of changing the diapers but the feedings where usually all Avery, even when she had made bottles in advance.

"You better be a good boy for me today," Daryl spoke as he looked down at Hunter, their blue eyes locking for a brief second. "Your mama is sick and it's probably just going to be you and me most of the day little man," he continued as he gave the baby a smile. "So no being a pain in the ass and let's be honest, you are my kid, so you probably will be," he teased because in all actuality Hunter was usually a good baby, except lately he had been a bit cranky and Diana had told them just last weekend he was probably getting ready to start teething, though right now he still showed no other signs minus his being cranky.

Hearing Hunter coo around his bottle Daryl let out a laugh, "Is that you agreeing with me?" he asked as he stayed silent for a bit just watching as Hunter sucked on the bottle. "I knew you'd agree with me and see things my way," he finally spoke again. "Because secretly you're a daddy's boy aren't you?" he asked and maybe it was true.

Maybe even if Avery did seem to feed him more it was Daryl he always wanted for everything else even at just six months old. It was Daryl who he always wanted holding him half the time and if he left he boys sight for a minute sometimes then Hunter would start crying.

It was something that fascinated Daryl because he had always just assumed little boys were supposed to be wrapped around their mother's finger and yet here was his son, wrapped around his finger. A son he had never even thought he'd have but then Avery had came into his life and everything just changed.

He had gotten a wife and a baby and somehow everything felt natural even if he hadn't had the best childhood or even really wanted it all before them. He wouldn't trade them and he was trying. Trying to be a good husband and a good father after the shitty example he had with his own dad.

Coming out of his thoughts Daryl remained silent as he watched Hunter finish his bottle and once he was done Daryl put the empty bottle on the table before moving Hunter up so he could burp him and once he heard the baby burp, he stood from the couch.

Reaching for the bottle he headed into the kitchen where he put it in the sink, making a mental note to clean it first thing in the morning and after that he headed back towards the nursery.

Going inside the nursery he walked to the crib where he put Hunter down and he watched as the boy yawned big and soft before closing his eyes and it was then that Daryl slowly moved away, heading out of the nursery and back down the hall to the bedroom.

It was only when he got to the bedroom that he came to a stop, seeing that Avery had finally fallen asleep propped up on her pillow and his as well.

"Pillow thief," he muttered to himself before walking to the bed and reaching down for the shirt he had taken off last night, balling it up and laying it where his pillow had once been as he slipped in bed.

It wasn't long after that, that Daryl drifted off, making another mental note to go to the store tomorrow and buy soup and medicine for Avery because he really wasn't convinced that she'd go to the doctor like he had asked her too.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Here, drink this," Daryl spoke softly as he stood in front of Avery hours later, holding out a small cup of medicine. "You'll feel better," he urged seeing her give him a reluctant look.

"When did you go out and get medicine?" Avery asked though he could barely hear her thanks to her voice having gone horse.

Daryl shrugged watching as she finally took the cup from him, "An hour ago while you were napping. Since you decided to be stubborn and not go to the doctor, I loaded Hunter up and headed to CVS. Got you some cold medicine as well as soup," he admitted with a smile as Avery quickly took the medicine in one gulp before making a face from the taste.

"Thank you," Avery smiled back as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and as she did so, his smile grew some because he was sure she had just infected him with her germs if he wasn't already before.

Though he wasn't sure he minded if he got sick because of her. He could only hope though that Hunter didn't get sick because he was sure a sick Hunter would be worse to deal with than either him or Avery combined.


End file.
